Consider: if every T passenger who got stranded or massively delayed because of poor maintenance, sparse routes (where they miss some runs), and so on, called their state legislators the next day and said "please raise our income tax, and fund the T to the same extent we fund the roads", this would happen so much less. Wanna join me and do that?

I'm nearly sure that's false. Which is not to say that they don't have management problems, but they're deeply in debt and horribly underfunded and no matter what management they have, they haven't got the slightest hope of upgrading & repairing the system with they money they're getting. Whereas even with the management problems they have, the would be able to make major improvements if properly funded. We haven't seen the T noticeable improve service since the Dukakis years (and it was quite noticeable back then), and it's not because their management has gotten much worse.

This is not true, actually, though mismanagement makes good press, so we hear a lot about it. Some of the mismanagement is above the level of the MBTA and actually led to underfunding in the first place, too (the switch in funding structure in 2000).

At any rate, the answer is not to keep not giving them money to fix the actual infrastructure problems that exist.

Forward funding was not at all successful, but neither was the requirement that the state fund whatever costs were incurred by the MBTA that existed previous to the reform. Presently, the MBTA can't generate enough funds to be self-sufficient. Previously, the MBTA had no incentive to limit its costs because they weren't expected to be self-sufficient.

They're faced with the requirements of maintaining an aging system while juggling rising staffing and materials costs as well as existing debts (including some questionable deferments) all on the tail end of 30 years of bad decisions on all levels. While I agree that the revenue stream needs to be significantly bolstered, I don't believe that simply throwing money at the problem will solve the issues.

Just as soon as the state is out of a budget crisis severe enough to require gutting programs that keep people alive and off the streets...

Similarly, I won't complain to my legislators in reaction to one rough commute, and I won't ask that the T, which serves a relatively limited area, be funded at the same level as the roads which ensure that food can come to our cities.

Yeah. I found out about the delay and hopped on the green line, then THAT had a disabled train, so we (my coworker and I) went and got a beer, then got to Lechmere, then waited for a bus, for..20-30min. I didn't get to Davis until damn near 8pm. Sorry you had the same experience =(

only because it was suggested to me not too long ago: if the Red Line has major suckage (and you find out about it in time), get youself to North Station on the Orange Line and take the Fitchburg Commuter Rail line to Porter Square.

i did that Monday and Tuesday this week and it saved my sanity, even though i had to buy two MBTA fares to do it (the CR fare for Zone 1A is an additional $1.70, cash only at the ticket window in the station, no CharlieCards accepted)